City councilors weigh department wish lists as budget progresses

Clinton County Legislator Colin Read has announced he will challenge Plattsburgh Mayor James Calnon for the city's top job.

PLATTSBURGH — Faced with a $1.5 million deficit, the City of Plattsburgh began taking a closer look at next year’s proposed budget plan on Thursday.

Councilors seemed optimistic that they could narrow the gap, asking department heads what they would like to see in 2017 “if they could wave a magic wand.”

“Despite the fact that we’re working with a tight budget, we want to start thinking about the future,” said Councilwoman Becky Kasper (Ward 5). “Even if we don’t get our dreams in 2017, at least we know where we’re heading.”

Kasper said the city’s future plans may be effected by the “rapid pace of projects” related to revitalization efforts, noting that local lawmakers are hoping to do a lot of financial planning in advance to support city departments as the larger workload — along with other unknown impacts of the Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI) — are levied onto their departments.

In the preliminary budget submitted on Oct. 8, total appropriations for the city were estimated at around $55.3 million, with 18.6 percent being taken from the tax levy.

Estimated revenues are currently at $43.8 million, leaving $10.3 million to be raised by the tax levy, and a $1.5 million deficit.

BUILDING INSPECTOR

Joe McMahon, the city building inspector, said that his department would love to see the appointment of a new employee, or possibly more hours allocated to the department.

McMahon said that the department “does what they have to do,” but he wishes they would be able to “spend more time” doing it. He believes that an extra employee would enable the department to better disperse the workload.

Mayor James Calnon said that “a lot of the stuff that happens is reactionary,” and asked what would need to happen for the Building Inspector’s office to be proactive.

Kasper added that once plans for the DRI are solidified, the city may see a greater need for building inspectors.

“In the next four years, with the DRI, things are going to happen,” said Kasper. “There are going to be buildings and development of properties. In your estimation, will you be able to sustain, with this development, what you’re hanging onto now?”

“I hate to say no,” said McMahon, “We’re going to do everything we can to make sure that everybody’s safe and we’re doing our jobs.”

“We’re always treading water. If we can get ahead of that, it’d be great.”

Councilwoman Rachelle Armstrong said that since taking office, “there has been the suggestion that [the Inspector’s office is] kind of understaffed.”

“You’re doing everything you can, and you’re doing a great job with what you have, but you could improve by having more staff. If there’s going to be more demand, it seems to be that it’s a no-brainer that you would need more staff.”

Councilman Dale Dowdle (Ward 3) mentioned that the department may benefit from being given more hours.

McMahon agreed, saying that if the department were given more hours and a new staffer, it would be the equivalent of “a person and a half” extra.

The department hasn’t seen a raise in available hours for over 30 years, McMahon said.

CITY CLERK

City Clerk Sylvia Parrotte said that though she wasn’t proposing the idea for next year’s budget, she would like to see a building allocated to house the city’s physical records.

Parrotte also wanted to work toward digitizing records.

“Whenever someone FOILs something, I have to go down to the basement and search through the dusty old files down there,” she said, referring to Freedom of Information Law requests.

Calnon agreed, pointing to Plattsburgh’s historical documents as something that should be digitized soon.

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

Paul DeDominicas, director of community development, said his department would like to hire an office manager, noting that both himself and the city’s events coordinator are often either out of the office or busy writing grants.

An office manager would free up time for himself and events coordinator Sandra Geddes to do other things, he said.

So far this year, the department has put together applications for four different grants, and that takes time, said DeDominicas. If the office were to be given another employee, that may free up enough time for the department to double the amount of grant applications they are able to write.

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

Brian Brayton, head of the IT department, said that the city will need over $34,000 for new computers in the coming years.

The city has 210 computers, according to Brayton, and a third of them are around 10 years old.

“The $34,000 would replace about a fifth of what is needed,” said Brayton, which would amount to around 40 machines.

More information on the Plattsburgh City Budget is forthcoming, with the collaborative “Mayor with Council” process expected to stretch until the state mandated deadline in January.